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December 21, 2000 - A fable in the forestDecember 21, 2000 • The Suffolk Times 9,9A fable in t HIS IS A CHRISTMAS story written espe- cially for the young and the young at.heart because they are the ones whose imagina- tion is the keenest. So you see, boys and girls, without a keen imagination you could be missing some of the best stories about Christmas. I'm sure most of you have walked through a woods by now and enjoyed our creeks, bays and ponds that we have in our town and that's just where this Christmas story takes place. Most kids think of Christmas around their home: you know, colorful lights outside, a big Christmas wreath on the front door and, of course, the Christmas tree all lit up with sparkling lights and shining ornaments, not to mention those special presents. And who could think of Christmas without presents? Those are the things most of us remember about Christmas and that's the way FOCV$ it should be, but you know, boys and girls, there's another ON kind of Christmas that only a NATURE few ever hear about and it all takes place right near your by Paul home. It's a Christmas the Stoutenburgh dainty little "wood nymphs" put on just as the church bell tolls 12 o'clock every Christmas Eve. To enjoy this Christmas story you have to have that special imag- ination and think deeply about the wonder of Christmas, but in an entirely different way. It might even help to close your eyes as you listen to this special Christmas story. It all started one year when the first snow fell just before Christmas. It covered the fields and for- est floor with a thick blanket of sparkling snow. It was so deep that Thumper, the rabbit, couldn't find any grass to eat, and Fluffy, the gray squirrel, was frustrated because he couldn't find any of the hick- ory nuts he had buried. And, of course, Pinknose, the opossum, was completely lost for he couldn't find any scraps of garbage to eat. Everything was under the snow. Another mem- ber of the wood- land gang, was Bandit, the rac- coon. His prob- lem was that all the garbage cans he usually raided for his evening meal had been put in everyone's garages so the people wouldn't have to walk out in the snow with their garbage. All well and good for them, but it put a stop to Bandit's nightly raiding of the community garbage cans. What was he going to eat? Thumper, the rabbit, tried eating the tough old branches that stuck up through the snow but they tasted terrible. Fluffy, the squirrel, was so hungry he had to sneak up to one of the houses whose owners threw sunflower seeds out on the snow for the birds, but each time he got a few seeds in his mouth, someone from the house would come out and chase him away. It forest Photo by Barbara Stoutenburgh ' Merry Christmas from Bandit, the raccoon, and all the rest of the woodland gang. was dust awtul. Pinknose, the opossum, gave in completely and curled up in an old hollow tree stump. The last we heard of him was when he grumbled something about wishing his great- great - great - grandfather ha never left the South, where it was always warm. After all, he didn't have any fur on his tail like Fluffy, the gray squirrel, and his tail was get- ting mighty cold. All the others animals and birds had gone to sleep in their own particular winter quarters. Squeaky, the wood mouse, was all curled up in his nest in a bird house. It was so warm and snug inside his little house he often left his long tail hanging out the entrance of the box to help cool him down. had built up a nice layer of fat around his backside that kept him warm. He wished his family didn't eat so much. But on second thought, he was glad they did, for he wanted them to grow big and strong. That was all well and good for Musky, the muskrat, but what about the hungry woodland gang like Thumper, Fluffy, Pinknose and Bandit? They were all in pretty bad shape seeing they hadn't eaten since the first snowfall, and besides, it was almost Christmas, when everyone was supposed to be happy and there was plenty of food around. Word spread up and down the creek and throughout the woodland as to just how bad it was for the woodland gang but nothing came of IL. The days rolled on and the hunger pangs grew worse and worse for the woodland gang. (Don't be discour- aged, boys and girls, for help is.on its way.) As the clock on the church struck 12 on Christmas Eve there appeared, like magic, two little wood ymphs all dressed in blue and gold. The remarkable thing about them was that they could walk on the snow with- out even showing a footprint and they moved around with wings like hum- mingbirds. They buzzed around to each mem- ber of the woodland gang and found out just what each one'liked. Each ad a long list of goodies that they wanted for Christmas. The nymphs told the woodland gang to go home, hang up their stockings and go to sleep, and if they were all good there just might be a sur- prise for each when the sun came up on Christmas morning. Sure enough, the next day as Thumper awoke he saw his stocking chock full of all sorts of goodies. There were carrots, heads of lettuce and even a bright red apple, and lots more. Fluffy's stocking had all kinds of-nuts, plus a golden ear of dried corn that he. particularly liked. He'd start with a big black walnut and work his way into that delicious - looking corn. Pinknose, the opossum, as usual slept right through Christmas morning and so we can't tell what was in his stocking but it must have been full of something good. Bandit, as might be expected, woke before any of the woodland gang and immediately went to his bulging stocking. There was an old leftover sand- wich, two overcooked eggs, a lamb chop bone and lots of other goodies just like the stuff he would get out of his garbage pickings. So you see, boys and girls, at Christmas there's a lot that goes unnoticed by most people, but if you have that special gift of "imagination" there are many wonderful Christmas stories just waiting to be told. icememoer we said it was snowing. Well, if you looked closely at Squeaky's snug little housJaat night, you would have seen his tail hanging out the entrance hold with a big clump of snow on the very end of it. I bet it wasn't long before Squeaky cooled down and pulled his tail in. The eels and crabs and floun der in the creek didn't care if it snowed all winter or not, because they were fast asleep in the soft black mud of the creek bottom. So it was with the frogs and turtles down in the pond by the big maple tree. They, too, were fast asleep in the soft ooze of the pond bottom. Musky, the muskrat, was probably the smartest of all. He had built his house in the bank of the creek. To protect his family he made his underground home with only one entrance and that was under water. No one would ever et in his cozy den. His food was the tender roots of the marsh grasses. He always carried a good supply of them into his under- ground den so that he'd not have to go into the cold water every day to get food. His family had big appetites and, with nothing to do on those long winter days and night, they often lay around just eating. Eventually the food supply would be all gone. Then Mr. Musky would have to go down the slippery chute that was his front door and out into the cold water for more fresh roots. No matter, he December 21, 2000 • The Suffolk Times 9,9A fable in t HIS IS A CHRISTMAS story written espe- cially for the young and the young at.heart because they are the ones whose imagina- tion is the keenest. So you see, boys and girls, without a keen imagination you could be missing some of the best stories about Christmas. I'm sure most of you have walked through a woods by now and enjoyed our creeks, bays and ponds that we have in our town and that's just where this Christmas story takes place. Most kids think of Christmas around their home: you know, colorful lights outside, a big Christmas wreath on the front door and, of course, the Christmas tree all lit up with sparkling lights and shining ornaments, not to mention those special presents. And who could think of Christmas without presents? Those are the things most of us remember about Christmas and that's the way FOCV$ it should be, but you know, boys and girls, there's another ON kind of Christmas that only a NATURE few ever hear about and it all takes place right near your by Paul home. It's a Christmas the Stoutenburgh dainty little "wood nymphs" put on just as the church bell tolls 12 o'clock every Christmas Eve. To enjoy this Christmas story you have to have that special imag- ination and think deeply about the wonder of Christmas, but in an entirely different way. It might even help to close your eyes as you listen to this special Christmas story. It all started one year when the first snow fell just before Christmas. It covered the fields and for- est floor with a thick blanket of sparkling snow. It was so deep that Thumper, the rabbit, couldn't find any grass to eat, and Fluffy, the gray squirrel, was frustrated because he couldn't find any of the hick- ory nuts he had buried. And, of course, Pinknose, the opossum, was completely lost for he couldn't find any scraps of garbage to eat. Everything was under the snow. Another mem- ber of the wood- land gang, was Bandit, the rac- coon. His prob- lem was that all the garbage cans he usually raided for his evening meal had been put in everyone's garages so the people wouldn't have to walk out in the snow with their garbage. All well and good for them, but it put a stop to Bandit's nightly raiding of the community garbage cans. What was he going to eat? Thumper, the rabbit, tried eating the tough old branches that stuck up through the snow but they tasted terrible. Fluffy, the squirrel, was so hungry he had to sneak up to one of the houses whose owners threw sunflower seeds out on the snow for the birds, but each time he got a few seeds in his mouth, someone from the house would come out and chase him away. It forest Photo by Barbara Stoutenburgh ' Merry Christmas from Bandit, the raccoon, and all the rest of the woodland gang. was dust awtul. Pinknose, the opossum, gave in completely and curled up in an old hollow tree stump. The last we heard of him was when he grumbled something about wishing his great- great - great - grandfather ha never left the South, where it was always warm. After all, he didn't have any fur on his tail like Fluffy, the gray squirrel, and his tail was get- ting mighty cold. All the others animals and birds had gone to sleep in their own particular winter quarters. Squeaky, the wood mouse, was all curled up in his nest in a bird house. It was so warm and snug inside his little house he often left his long tail hanging out the entrance of the box to help cool him down. had built up a nice layer of fat around his backside that kept him warm. He wished his family didn't eat so much. But on second thought, he was glad they did, for he wanted them to grow big and strong. That was all well and good for Musky, the muskrat, but what about the hungry woodland gang like Thumper, Fluffy, Pinknose and Bandit? They were all in pretty bad shape seeing they hadn't eaten since the first snowfall, and besides, it was almost Christmas, when everyone was supposed to be happy and there was plenty of food around. Word spread up and down the creek and throughout the woodland as to just how bad it was for the woodland gang but nothing came of IL. The days rolled on and the hunger pangs grew worse and worse for the woodland gang. (Don't be discour- aged, boys and girls, for help is.on its way.) As the clock on the church struck 12 on Christmas Eve there appeared, like magic, two little wood ymphs all dressed in blue and gold. The remarkable thing about them was that they could walk on the snow with- out even showing a footprint and they moved around with wings like hum- mingbirds. They buzzed around to each mem- ber of the woodland gang and found out just what each one'liked. Each ad a long list of goodies that they wanted for Christmas. The nymphs told the woodland gang to go home, hang up their stockings and go to sleep, and if they were all good there just might be a sur- prise for each when the sun came up on Christmas morning. Sure enough, the next day as Thumper awoke he saw his stocking chock full of all sorts of goodies. There were carrots, heads of lettuce and even a bright red apple, and lots more. Fluffy's stocking had all kinds of-nuts, plus a golden ear of dried corn that he. particularly liked. He'd start with a big black walnut and work his way into that delicious - looking corn. Pinknose, the opossum, as usual slept right through Christmas morning and so we can't tell what was in his stocking but it must have been full of something good. Bandit, as might be expected, woke before any of the woodland gang and immediately went to his bulging stocking. There was an old leftover sand- wich, two overcooked eggs, a lamb chop bone and lots of other goodies just like the stuff he would get out of his garbage pickings. So you see, boys and girls, at Christmas there's a lot that goes unnoticed by most people, but if you have that special gift of "imagination" there are many wonderful Christmas stories just waiting to be told. icememoer we said it was snowing. Well, if you looked closely at Squeaky's snug little housJaat night, you would have seen his tail hanging out the entrance hold with a big clump of snow on the very end of it. I bet it wasn't long before Squeaky cooled down and pulled his tail in. The eels and crabs and floun der in the creek didn't care if it snowed all winter or not, because they were fast asleep in the soft black mud of the creek bottom. So it was with the frogs and turtles down in the pond by the big maple tree. They, too, were fast asleep in the soft ooze of the pond bottom. Musky, the muskrat, was probably the smartest of all. He had built his house in the bank of the creek. To protect his family he made his underground home with only one entrance and that was under water. No one would ever et in his cozy den. His food was the tender roots of the marsh grasses. He always carried a good supply of them into his under- ground den so that he'd not have to go into the cold water every day to get food. His family had big appetites and, with nothing to do on those long winter days and night, they often lay around just eating. Eventually the food supply would be all gone. Then Mr. Musky would have to go down the slippery chute that was his front door and out into the cold water for more fresh roots. No matter, he December 21, 2000 • The Suffolk Times 9,9A fable in t HIS IS A CHRISTMAS story written espe- cially for the young and the young at.heart because they are the ones whose imagina- tion is the keenest. So you see, boys and girls, without a keen imagination you could be missing some of the best stories about Christmas. I'm sure most of you have walked through a woods by now and enjoyed our creeks, bays and ponds that we have in our town and that's just where this Christmas story takes place. Most kids think of Christmas around their home: you know, colorful lights outside, a big Christmas wreath on the front door and, of course, the Christmas tree all lit up with sparkling lights and shining ornaments, not to mention those special presents. And who could think of Christmas without presents? Those are the things most of us remember about Christmas and that's the way FOCV$ it should be, but you know, boys and girls, there's another ON kind of Christmas that only a NATURE few ever hear about and it all takes place right near your by Paul home. It's a Christmas the Stoutenburgh dainty little "wood nymphs" put on just as the church bell tolls 12 o'clock every Christmas Eve. To enjoy this Christmas story you have to have that special imag- ination and think deeply about the wonder of Christmas, but in an entirely different way. It might even help to close your eyes as you listen to this special Christmas story. It all started one year when the first snow fell just before Christmas. It covered the fields and for- est floor with a thick blanket of sparkling snow. It was so deep that Thumper, the rabbit, couldn't find any grass to eat, and Fluffy, the gray squirrel, was frustrated because he couldn't find any of the hick- ory nuts he had buried. And, of course, Pinknose, the opossum, was completely lost for he couldn't find any scraps of garbage to eat. Everything was under the snow. Another mem- ber of the wood- land gang, was Bandit, the rac- coon. His prob- lem was that all the garbage cans he usually raided for his evening meal had been put in everyone's garages so the people wouldn't have to walk out in the snow with their garbage. All well and good for them, but it put a stop to Bandit's nightly raiding of the community garbage cans. What was he going to eat? Thumper, the rabbit, tried eating the tough old branches that stuck up through the snow but they tasted terrible. Fluffy, the squirrel, was so hungry he had to sneak up to one of the houses whose owners threw sunflower seeds out on the snow for the birds, but each time he got a few seeds in his mouth, someone from the house would come out and chase him away. It forest Photo by Barbara Stoutenburgh ' Merry Christmas from Bandit, the raccoon, and all the rest of the woodland gang. was dust awtul. Pinknose, the opossum, gave in completely and curled up in an old hollow tree stump. The last we heard of him was when he grumbled something about wishing his great- great - great - grandfather ha never left the South, where it was always warm. After all, he didn't have any fur on his tail like Fluffy, the gray squirrel, and his tail was get- ting mighty cold. All the others animals and birds had gone to sleep in their own particular winter quarters. Squeaky, the wood mouse, was all curled up in his nest in a bird house. It was so warm and snug inside his little house he often left his long tail hanging out the entrance of the box to help cool him down. had built up a nice layer of fat around his backside that kept him warm. He wished his family didn't eat so much. But on second thought, he was glad they did, for he wanted them to grow big and strong. That was all well and good for Musky, the muskrat, but what about the hungry woodland gang like Thumper, Fluffy, Pinknose and Bandit? They were all in pretty bad shape seeing they hadn't eaten since the first snowfall, and besides, it was almost Christmas, when everyone was supposed to be happy and there was plenty of food around. Word spread up and down the creek and throughout the woodland as to just how bad it was for the woodland gang but nothing came of IL. The days rolled on and the hunger pangs grew worse and worse for the woodland gang. (Don't be discour- aged, boys and girls, for help is.on its way.) As the clock on the church struck 12 on Christmas Eve there appeared, like magic, two little wood ymphs all dressed in blue and gold. The remarkable thing about them was that they could walk on the snow with- out even showing a footprint and they moved around with wings like hum- mingbirds. They buzzed around to each mem- ber of the woodland gang and found out just what each one'liked. Each ad a long list of goodies that they wanted for Christmas. The nymphs told the woodland gang to go home, hang up their stockings and go to sleep, and if they were all good there just might be a sur- prise for each when the sun came up on Christmas morning. Sure enough, the next day as Thumper awoke he saw his stocking chock full of all sorts of goodies. There were carrots, heads of lettuce and even a bright red apple, and lots more. Fluffy's stocking had all kinds of-nuts, plus a golden ear of dried corn that he. particularly liked. He'd start with a big black walnut and work his way into that delicious - looking corn. Pinknose, the opossum, as usual slept right through Christmas morning and so we can't tell what was in his stocking but it must have been full of something good. Bandit, as might be expected, woke before any of the woodland gang and immediately went to his bulging stocking. There was an old leftover sand- wich, two overcooked eggs, a lamb chop bone and lots of other goodies just like the stuff he would get out of his garbage pickings. So you see, boys and girls, at Christmas there's a lot that goes unnoticed by most people, but if you have that special gift of "imagination" there are many wonderful Christmas stories just waiting to be told. icememoer we said it was snowing. Well, if you looked closely at Squeaky's snug little housJaat night, you would have seen his tail hanging out the entrance hold with a big clump of snow on the very end of it. I bet it wasn't long before Squeaky cooled down and pulled his tail in. The eels and crabs and floun der in the creek didn't care if it snowed all winter or not, because they were fast asleep in the soft black mud of the creek bottom. So it was with the frogs and turtles down in the pond by the big maple tree. They, too, were fast asleep in the soft ooze of the pond bottom. Musky, the muskrat, was probably the smartest of all. He had built his house in the bank of the creek. To protect his family he made his underground home with only one entrance and that was under water. No one would ever et in his cozy den. His food was the tender roots of the marsh grasses. He always carried a good supply of them into his under- ground den so that he'd not have to go into the cold water every day to get food. His family had big appetites and, with nothing to do on those long winter days and night, they often lay around just eating. Eventually the food supply would be all gone. Then Mr. Musky would have to go down the slippery chute that was his front door and out into the cold water for more fresh roots. No matter, he